Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen

Characteristics

Size

Grooming Needs

Exercise Needs

Good With Dogs

Watchdog Ability

History

The homeland of the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is France. These dogs are very intelligent, determined and extremely brave and not afraid of the weather conditions and difficult terrain. Representatives of the breed are excellent hunting dogs that chase the prey until they catch it, no matter what.

The breed history began in the 16th century. The name is composed by "petit" which means small, "basset" which means low, close to the ground, "griffon" which means wire-haired, and "vendeen" by the name of the region in France where these dogs originated.

In the beginning of the 20th century was found the so called “Club de Basset Griffon Vendéen”. At the time, there was only one standard for the Grand Basset Griffon and the small one. The main difference was their size. But after a couple of years of arguments between canine specialists, the club accepted a new standard for two different types of dogs.

The first Griffons in the USA were shown in 1992 in New York at the Westminster Kennel Club show. The US Club was created in 1984 after a dog Show in Philadelphia. One year later, the membership had jumped from 11 to more than 50 members and puppies for sale were available in many states.

Physical characteristics

This small, but beautiful animal has a rectangular body that is more long than high. The coat is of medium length and rough to the touch. Coloration occurs in white with yellow, orange, gray, with black spots. The height of the representatives ranges from 33 to 38 cm and their weight - from 14 to 18 kg. The head has rounded cheekbones, oval, dark eyes, hanging, long ears and a black nose. The neck is wide, the legs are short, the tail is of medium length.

Character and behavior

These are very lively and friendly dogs, great and desirable companions. They are very strongly attached to their owners and love their company. Do not leave your pet alone at home. This will make it apathetic and it will destroy anything it can find in your house.

Training and education

The representatives of the breed are fairly easy to train, but the education must be conducted with positive techniques. Do not forget to show your puppy who the leader is.In addition, you should be extremely patient in training, because sometimes Griffons can be really stubborn.

Health problems

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen by default is a healthy dog, but could be prone to hip dysplasia, eye problems, epilepsy, thyroid problems and knee joints, skin and food allergies. The average life expectancy of these dogs is about 14 years, but with good food and proper care, they can live even more.

Grooming and care

Representatives of this breed can easily be grown in an apartment, but need a regular exercise and attention from their owners. The fur of these dogs should be brushed rarely, once a week would be enough. Bathe your pet only if needed.

Children and other pets

Like all Bassets, this one is very good with children and other pets. Of course, it has a hunting nature, so it can chase and even kill rodents and birds.

Interesting facts

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen has a lot of nicknames. In the UK, they are known as "griffs" and "roughies". In the United States, people call them "petits", and in Denmark they used both "petits" and"griffs".

An interesting fact is that this dog is very timid, despite its hunting nature. It is not aggressive as most of other working breeds, but this does not make the Griffon less useful or efficient during hunting.

The longest living Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen reached 19 years of age.